South Korean ex-Prez Yoon to face criminal trial on insurrection charges Monday

Seoul, April 13 (IANS) The first criminal trial for former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled for this week, 10 days after he was removed from office over his short-lived martial law declaration in December, according to court officials Sunday.

The Seoul Central District Court is set to open the hearing on Yoon's insurrection charges at 10 a.m. Monday. As the defendant, Yoon must attend the trial, Yonhap news agency reported.

Yoon will be the fifth former president to stand criminal trial.

He will be allowed to enter the court via an underground parking lot, with the court having set up security-related measures against potential rallies near the court building.

Media will not be allowed to take photographs inside the courtroom before the start of the proceedings.

As part of the formal process, Yoon must state his name, birthday, occupation and place of residence at the start. The prosecution will then lay out charges against Yoon, who is expected to deny them. The former president may also ask the judge for an opportunity to state his case.

If convicted on charges of leading an insurrection, Yoon could face a life sentence or the death penalty.

Cho Sung-hyun, commander of the First Security Group of the Capital Defence Command, and Kim Hyung-ki, head of the First Special Forces Battalion of the Special Warfare Command, will take the witness stand Monday.

During Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, Cho had testified that he was ordered by then Capital Defence Commander Lee Jin-woo to send troops to "drag out" lawmakers from the National Assembly after Yoon had declared martial law December 3.

Kim is believed to have received a similar order from his superior the same night.

--IANS

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